watchOS 3.1.1 Pulled As Apple Watch Series 2 Users Report Bricking

Just a day after rolling out the watchOS 3.1.1 to the public, Apple has temporarily pulled the update. Many Apple Watch Series 2 owners who installed the latest update complained that their devices turned into useless bricks during the update process. Users on Reddit and in MacRumors forums said they were led through the install process, but eventually served with a red exclamation mark that guided them to visit Apple’s website.

Image Source: Apple Inc. (Screenshot)

Apple working on a fix

The Cupertino company acknowledged the problem in a statement saying a “very small number” of Apple Watch users experienced an issue while installing watchOS 3.1.1. The tech giant urged the affected customers to contact AppleCare. Apple said it was working on a “fix for an upcoming software update.”

The watchOS 3.1.1 was rolled out with support for Unicode 9.0 emoji, performance improvements, and bug fixes. Now that Apple has pulled the update, the accompanying iOS Watch app reports that watchOS 3.1, which was released in October, is the latest version available.

The bug targeted mainly Apple Watch Series 2

Customers whose Apple Watch Series 2 got bricked due to the update are unable to reset their devices. According to MacRumors, users will have to send their wearable devices to Apple for a replacement because Apple Stores can’t fix the issue in-store. The device needs to be restored through a small diagnostic port, something that Apple Stores don’t cover, added the publication.

The link to Apple website that appears with the red exclamation mark recommends users to force restart the device by holding the Digital Crown and the side button at the same time. However, it failed to solve the problem. It is unclear when the watchOS 3.1.1 would return, but Apple is likely to release the update as soon as it fixes the bug that bricked the Apple Watch Series 2.

The problem seems to affect only the Apple Watch Series 2 devices, though some Series 0 and Series 1 owners also said that the update took a “long time” to install. In most cases, the Apple Watch got bricked without any specific reason during the update. Users on Reddit claimed they had not even touched or interacted with the Watch while it was updating.

Apple Watch Series 2: ‘The Gift of the Go’

Apple chief executive Tim Cook claimed earlier this month that the Apple Watch sales growth was “off the charts” during the current holiday shopping season. Cook said Apple Watch has turned out to be “one of the most popular holiday gifts this year.” However, research firm IDC said that Apple Watch sales declined 71% to 1.1 million units during the third quarter of 2016.

The iPhone maker has been trying to position the Apple Watch Series 2 as “The Gift of the Go” this Christmas. A few days ago, Apple released four short ads promoting the new Apple Watch.